--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's hard, it seems, is living up to…" description: "\"What's hard, it seems, is living up to the expectations Democracy imposes upon those who would participate in society.\" — Steven Weber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/steven-weber-18741_democracy_what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the_2579309.jpg" --- # What's hard, it seems, is living up to the expectations… ![“What's hard, it seems, is living up to the expectations Democracy imposes upon those who would participate in society.” quote by Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/steven-weber-18741_democracy_what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the_2579309.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/steven-weber-18741_democracy_what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the_2579309.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/steven-weber-18741_democracy_what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the_2579309.jpg) > “What's hard, it seems, is living up to the expectations Democracy imposes upon those who would participate in society.” [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy demands high personal standards, creating pressure on participants to meet societal expectations. **In simple terms:** Living up to democratic expectations is challenging. Key Takeaway Set realistic personal goals within civic duties. Themes civic duty expectations pressure Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - voting - community service - public office Key Concepts democratic theory social contract Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are reasonable for citizens? - How can societies balance aspiration and well‑being? A Different Perspective May ignore individual limitations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [It's very hard to participate in society when you can't talk to people on the medium that they talk to other people on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/it-s-very-hard-to-participate-in-society-when-you-can-t-talk-to/) [Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/) > [It is my experience that people who don't participate in society, who don't have jobs, who don't have friends, are just very stuck in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-my-experience-that-people-who-don-t-participate-in-society-who/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [That's part of the reason why we also need to focus on, how do I give to society, how do I participate in society,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/that-s-part-of-the-reason-why-we-also-need-to-focus-on-how-do-i-give/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [“Instead of constantly living up to everyone's expectations, why not destroy them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-brody/instead-of-constantly-living-up-to-everyone-s-expectations-why-not/) [Jessica Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-brody/) > [Its not that your not living up to their expectations, Its that your not living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candie-yates/its-not-that-your-not-living-up-to-their-expectations-its-that-your/) Candie Yates > [Stop living up to someone else's expectations, they aren't the ones living your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-living-up-to-someone-else-s-expectations-they-aren-t-the-ones/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You work hard and you have expectations. So I'm living my expectations right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-rivera/you-work-hard-and-you-have-expectations-so-i-m-living-my-expectations/) [Jenni Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-rivera/) > [The good thing about my father was that he always told me, 'You don't have to worry about living up to me, living up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/the-good-thing-about-my-father-was-that-he-always-told-me-you-don-t/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [“I like not living up to the expectations of people who don't like me. I enjoy knowing that my choices won't be acceptable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikki-kendall/i-like-not-living-up-to-the-expectations-of-people-who-don-t-like-me/) Mikki Kendall > [“If your greatest expectation is living up to everyone else' expectations ~ don't expect to be successful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clutton/if-your-greatest-expectation-is-living-up-to-everyone-else/) Michael Clutton > [“If you're always living down to others' expectations of you, you'll never know how high you can fly or how brightly you can shine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-david-walker/if-you-re-always-living-down-to-others-expectations-of-you-you-ll/) G. David Walker > [I can feel this pressure of living up to the expectations of people. I hope I can fulfill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/i-can-feel-this-pressure-of-living-up-to-the-expectations-of-people-i/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [Living without expectations is hard but, when you can do it, good. Living without hope is harder, and that is bad. You have got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/living-without-expectations-is-hard-but-when-you-can-do-it-good/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [It doesn't matter what you're hitting - if you're not living up to your own expectations, then it's hard to have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trea-turner/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-re-hitting-if-you-re-not-living-up-to-your/) [Trea Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trea-turner/) > [I believe in working hard, living right and putting God and family first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-believe-in-working-hard-living-right-and-putting-god-and-family/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) ## More by Steven Weber > [What's hard, it seems, is living up to the words spoken by Jesus Christ, who preached naught but love and mercy and justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/what-s-hard-it-seems-is-living-up-to-the-words-spoken-by-jesus-christ/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [Everything sells. Like integrity. Like democracy. Like truth. Like deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/everything-sells-like-integrity-like-democracy-like-truth-like-deeds/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The flaw in, say, austerity, is that its success is predicated on the relative exactitude of math rather than the shifting, liquid imperfection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/the-flaw-in-say-austerity-is-that-its-success-is-predicated-on-the/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [I know it's sappy, but I bet there's a market for civility and niceness out there that, while probably not as titillating as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/i-know-it-s-sappy-but-i-bet-there-s-a-market-for-civility-and/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [I've rarely gotten a good review in my life, yet, to paraphrase Noel Coward, I am happy to console myself with the bitter palliative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/i-ve-rarely-gotten-a-good-review-in-my-life-yet-to-paraphrase-noel/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The right-wing just loves making a big entrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/the-right-wing-just-loves-making-a-big-entrance/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [Meaning and value depend on human mind space and the commitment of time and energy by very smart people to a creative enterprise. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/meaning-and-value-depend-on-human-mind-space-and-the-commitment-of/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [No matter what your political persuasion, you can find a guide that makes it quick, easy and painless to exercise your right to vote.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/no-matter-what-your-political-persuasion-you-can-find-a-guide-that/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [Let me go out on a limb and suggest that those who see hints of a new class ideology developing around information technology are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/let-me-go-out-on-a-limb-and-suggest-that-those-who-see-hints-of-a-new/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [Social media has created a legion of social delinquents, billions of people speaking not their minds but their spleens, venting everything from the gum-cracking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/social-media-has-created-a-legion-of-social-delinquents-billions-of/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [A nation is not a budget, no matter how much ideologues want it to be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/a-nation-is-not-a-budget-no-matter-how-much-ideologues-want-it-to-be/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The guard rails on a highway may restrict some folks from driving the way they want, but those rules mostly end up saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/the-guard-rails-on-a-highway-may-restrict-some-folks-from-driving-the/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [In the corporate-owned media, men dressed like Ronald Reagan and women dressed like Rita Hayworth disseminate grotesque exaggerations and gossip in authoritative tones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/in-the-corporate-owned-media-men-dressed-like-ronald-reagan-and-women/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The fact is, presidential politics has become a game of inches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/the-fact-is-presidential-politics-has-become-a-game-of-inches/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The GOP/corporate right-wing, it seems, never really considers the consequences of their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/the-gop-corporate-right-wing-it-seems-never-really-considers-the/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) [Explore all 34 Steven Weber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. 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